The present disclosure generally relates to the field of online product procurement systems. The present disclosure relates more specifically to systems and methods of identifying a request from a user for a product, determining whether a recall has been issued for the product, and, if so, informing the use that the desired product has been recalled and, optionally, identifying one or more substitute products to the user as alternative products.
Many organizations utilize searchable electronic catalogs to present customers goods and/or services from supply chain-approved vendors of the organization. To support purchasing functionality, these catalogs may be consolidated into a marketplace whereby requesters view product details prior to purchasing, and purchase products in a single interface. As item information changes, such as item price and/or item availability, suppliers must maintain the catalog content through, in many instances, manual data administration. In addition, Healthcare supply chain organizations rely on third-party stakeholders to provide supplemental data points such as FDA recall event information or contracted pricing from the Group Purchasing Organizations [GPO]. FDA recall events are typically implemented manually.
In Healthcare, patient safety is of paramount importance. Applicants have appreciated that out-of-date product data might inadvertently provide a user with the ability to order and purchase an item that is already subject to a recall event by the FDA. Applicants have appreciated that, in cases where delivery of an item is time sensitive for a patient procedure, out-of-date product data might allow the requester to order items that are actually subject to a valid recall event, manufacturer's voluntary notice, or other adverse ordering status, such as backordered, discontinued, replaced or substituted product from the vendor.
Applicants have thus appreciated that there is a need for a data aggregation service with automated methods for data collection and an apparatus for data synchronization across disparate/remote data stores.